Pneumatic vibrator

Abstract: An improved pneumatic vibrator (10) configuration is provided. Specifically, the vibrator (10) is annular in configuration which enables functional elements of adjacent components in a multi-component system to be passed through the vibrator (10). The configuration of the annular vibrator (10) of the present invention conserves space in multi-component manufacturing systems.

Description: This invention relates generally to improvements in vibrators used for all the purposes for which vibrators are currently employed including compacting, densifying, feeding, conveying and homogenizing. More particularly, this invention relates to an annularly configured vibrator that transmits vibrations radially outward through an outer core and includes a passageway through the axial center of the vibrator. The configuration of the vibrator enables the vibrator to be disposed within a large piece of equipment and further enables other functional elements of the equipment such as drive shafts, conduits or cables to be passed through the vibrator. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Industrial vibrators have a wide variety of uses. Vibrators have been used in hoppers, bins and railcars to keep granular materials flowing as they should. Vibrators have also been used in connection with structural and architectural concrete because vibration of wet concrete helps consolidate the concrete for a stronger, more durable structure. Although pneumatic vibrators came in a variety of embodiments the general type of vibrators to which the present invention is concerned supply air pressure through an inner, substantially cylindrical and solid shaft. Air passes through passageways in the shaft and engages a vane which directs the air substantially in one circumferential direction. The air, now proceeding in a substantially circular direction, engages an inner roller thereby causing the inner roller to rotate. The inner roller rotates in an eccentric orbit due to the presence of the vane which is disposed between the inner roller and the vibrator shaft. The inner roller is disposed within an outer roller and the rotating inner roller engages the outer roller thereby causing the outer roller to rotate eccentrically about the inner roller and shaft. The eccentric rotation of the inner and outer rollers about the shaft and within the vibrator body transmits vibrations radially outward through the outer roller and any structure associated therewith. The primary drawback to this otherwise efficient design is the general configuration of the vibrator. The vibrator is cylindrical disc shaped in configuration which limits use of the vibrator in multi-component equipment. For example, during the construction of concrete pipe or concrete cylinders, it is highly desirable to apply vibration to the prepacked concrete. Further, it is highly preferable to vibrate the concrete immediately after it is packed with either a longbottom cylinder, a packerhead or a combination of the two. To vibrate the concrete immediately after it is packed, the vibrator should be disposed immediately below the packerhead. However, this configuration is not possible with many current disc shaped vibrator designs because the drive shaft for the packerhead or longbottom must be disposed below the packerhead or longbottom. Therefore, a cylindrical vibrator must be disposed below the drive shaft and drive mechanism of the packerhead or longbottom and, hence, substantially below the longbottom or packerhead. By contrast, an annularly configured vibrator could be disposed immediately below the packerhead because the drive shafting of a counter rotating packerhead assembly could be passed through the center of the vibrator thereby enabling the vibrator to be disposed in close proximity to the packerhead. Further, the drive shafting of a longbottom assembly could also be passed through the vibrator enabling the longbottom assembly to be disposed immediately above or below the vibrator, depending upon the design of the pipe making machinery. Other applications of an annularly configured vibrator will be apparent to those skilled in the art. An annularly configured vibrator will have applications in the design of multi-component equipment or systems where the vibrator is but one component that must be disposed between or adjacent to other functional components. The primary benefit of such vibrators when used with other functional elements or parts of machinery or equipment is that the driving mechanism for the system can pass through the vibrator thereby providing greater flexibility to the designer of the equipment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an annularly configured vibrator having the known features set forth in the preamble of claim 1. In order to achieve its advantages over the prior art indicated above, it also has all the further features set forth in the characterising portion of claim 1. The annular space in the vibrator accordingly includes three primary components: a vane, an inner roller and an outer roller. Pressurized fluid enters the annular space through e.g. slots or ports disposed in the shaft and engages the vane which directs the pressurized fluid primarily in one circumferential direction. The vane also oscillates inward and outward and maintains contact with the inner surface of the inner roller. In the case of pressurized air, the air then engages the inner surface of the inner roller thereby causing the inner roller to rotate. The inner roller does not rotate in a circular orbit due to the engagement with the vane and the inward/outward oscillation of the vane and therefore the inner roller rotates eccentrically about the outside surface of the vibrator shaft. The outer roller is also cylindrical in configuration and begins to rotate upon engagement with the inner roller. The eccentric rotation of both the inner roller and the outer roller about the vibrator shaft imparts vibration outward through the vibrator body. Pressurized fluid or pressurized air exits the annular space through slots disposed preferably in the bottom plate but the slots may also be disposed in the top plate or vibrator body. In the preferred embodiment, the vane is fabricated from resilient yet pliable material whereby the vane maintains contact with the inside surface of the inner roller. The vane is held in place within a slot disposed in the vibrator shaft. Apertures extending from an air channel in the shaft communicate with the slot to provide fluid communication from the pressurized fluid supply through the slot and against the vane. The vane then will oscillate radially outward and direct the air flow in primarily one circumferential direction which initiates rotation of the inner roller. The engagement between the outer surface of the inner roller and the inner surface of the outer roller initiates rotation of the outer roller. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an annularly configured vibrator having a central passage of a size sufficient to receive other operating and functional elements of the system in which the vibrator is incorporated, including central shafting. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved pneumatic vibrator as above described. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vibrator made in accordance with the present invention, particularly illustrating a plan view of the top plate; Figure 2 is a section view taken substantially along line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side plan view of the vane shown in Figure 2 but vertically rotated 180° from its Figure 2 position; Figure 4 is a end view of the vane shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the vibrator shown in Figure 2 particularly illustrating the bottom plate thereof; Figure 6 is a partial section view taken substantially along line 6-6 of Figure 5; Figure 7 is an elevation view of the vibrator shaft shown in Figure 2; Figure 8 is an end view of the vibrator shaft shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a section view taken substantially along line 9-9 of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a top plan view of the bearing used in connecting the top plate to the vibrato-shaft shown in Figure 2; Figure 11 is a section view taken substantially along line 11-11 of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a bottom plan view of the top plate shown in Figure 1; Figure 13 is a section view taken substantially along line 13-13 of Figure 12; Figure 14 is a bottom plan view of the bottom plate shown in Figure 2; Figure 15 is a section view taken substantially along line 15-15 of Figure 14; Figure 16 is a top plan view of the vibrator body shown in Figure 2; Figure 17 is a section view taken substantially along line 17-17 of Figure 16; Figure 18 is a plan view of the inner roller shown in Figure 2; Figure 19 is a section view taken substantially along line 19-19 of Figure 18; Figure 20 is a plan view of the outer roller shown in Figure 2; Figure 21 is a section view taken substantially along line 21-21 of Figure 20; Figure 22 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of a vibrator made in accordance with the present invention; Figure 23 is a section view taken substantially along line 23-23 of Figure 22; Figure 24 is a side view of the vane illustrated in Figure 23 but vertically rotated 180° from its Figure 23 position; Figure 25 is an end view of the vane shown in Figure 24; Figure 26 is a bottom plan view of the vibrator shown in Figure 23; Figure 27 is an elevation view of the vibrator shaft shown in Figure 23; Figure 28 is an end view of the vibrator shaft shown in Figure 27; Figure 29 is a section view taken substantially along line 29-29 of Figure 28; Figure 30 is a bottom plan view of the top plate shown in Figure 22; Figure 31 is a section view taken substantially along line 31-31 of Figure 30; Figure 32 is a top plan view of the bottom plate shown in Figure 23; Figure 33 is a section view taken substantially along line 33-33 of Figure 32; Figure 34 is a vertical section view of the vibrator body shown in Figure 23; Figure 35 is an end view of the inner roller shown in Figure 23; Figure 36 is a section view taken substantially along line 36-36 of Figure 35; Figure 37 is an end view of the outer roller shown in Figure 23; Figure 38 is a section view taken substantially along line 38-38 of Figure 37; Figures 39A through 39D illustrate the eccentrical orbit of the inner and outer rollers of the vibrators illustrated in Figures 2 and 23; and Figures 40A through 40D illustrate the eccentrical orbit of an inner and outer roller of an alternative embodiment of the vibrator of the present invention. It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Like reference numerals will be used to refer to like or similar parts from Figure to Figure in the following description of the drawings. Two embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings, specifically at Figures 1 through 21 and at Figures 22 through 38. Turning first to Figure 1, a top plan view of a vibrator 10 is illustrated, particularly illustrating the top plate, indicated generally at 12, and the bearing, indicated generally at 14. Referring collectively to Figures 1 and 2, the cap screws indicated at 16 are used to affix the top plate 12 to the vibrator body indicated generally at 18. The cap screws 20 are used to attach the bearing 14 to the top plate 12 and then the cap screws shown at 22 are used to attach the top plate 12 and bearing 14 to the vibrator shaft indicated generally at 24. Still referring to Figure 2, the bottom plate indicated generally at 26 is attached to the vibrator shaft 24 with the cap screws 28. The bottom plate 26 is then attached to the ring 30 with the cap screws indicated at 32. The ring 30 is attached to the inside surface 34 of the vibrator body 18. Still referring to Figure 2, the vibrator shaft 24 provides fluid communication between the port 36 which is in communication with the pressurized fluid supply (or pressurized air supply) and the annular space defined by the top plate 12, bottom plate 26, shaft 24 and body 18. Air enters the port 36 and proceeds up through the conduit or channel 38 in shaft 24. A plurality of apertures 40 spaced along the channel 38 direct the air flow against the vane indicated generally at 42 which reciprocates in slot 54, see Figure 8. As will be discussed below, the vane 42 directs the air flow against the inner roller, indicated generally at 44, thereby causing it to rotate and engage the outer roller, indicated generally at 46, causing it to rotate. The eccentric rotation of the inner roller 44 and outer roller 46 about the vane 42 and shaft 24 results in vibrational energy being transmitted outward through the vibrator body 18. Turning to Figure 3, the vane 42 features a plurality of slots indicated generally at 48. Air proceeds through the apertures 40 (see Figure 2) and engages the slots before it is directed outward generally in the direction of the arrow 50 (see Figure 4) where it engages the inside surface 52 (see also Figure 19) of the inner roller 44. The placement of the slots 48 along the vane 42 as shown in Figure 3 reflects the variances in the air pressure along the height of the conduit 38 (see Figure 2). Specifically, as air enters through the port 36 and proceeds up through the conduit 38, the air pressure along the conduit 38 will vary. The spacing of the slots 48 along the vane 42 and the spacing of the apertures 40 along the conduit 38 reflect the variances in pressure along the height of the conduit 38 and are spaced to distribute the air pressure evenly against the inside surface 52 of the roller 44 to efficiently begin the rotation of the roller 44. The vane is received in the slot 54 disposed in the shaft 24 (see Figure 7). Air is released from the annular space that contains the rollers 44, 46 through the slots in the bottom plate 26 indicated at 56 (see Figures 2, 5 and 14). Turning to Figure 5, the bottom plate 26 is attached to the ring 30 via the cap screws 32 and the ring 30 is welded or otherwise attached to the inside surface 34 of the vibrator body 18. As noted above, the slots indicated generally at 56 release the air or pressurized fluid from the vibrator 10. The bottom plate 26 may also accommodate a proximity switch indicated generally at 58 which may shut the vibrator off in the event an object engages the undersurface 60 of the ring 30 or, as shown in Figure 6, if an object engages the probe 62 which extends downward from the proximity switch 58 through the ring 30. Turning now to Figures 7 through 9 collectively, the vibrator shaft 24 includes the beveled extensions 64, 66 that are received in the top plate 12 and bottom plate 26 respectively. The slot 54 receives the vane 42 and the apertures indicated at 40 direct pressurized fluid at the slots 48 of the vane 42 (see Figure 3). The threaded holes 68 receive the cap screws 22 which attach the top plate 12 to the shaft 24. The holes 70 receive the cap screws 28 which attach the bottom plate 26 to the shaft 24. The bearing 14 is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. The holes 70 receive the cap screws 20 (see Figures 1 and 2) which attach the bearing 14 to the top plate 12. The slot 72 receives the head and washer of the cap screws 22 (see also Figures 1 and 2) which attach the top plate 12 to the vibrator shaft 24. Turning to Figures 12 and 13, the holes 74 of the top plate 12 receive the cap screws 16 that attach the top plate 12 to the upper end of the vibrator body 18. The holes 76 receive the cap screws 22 that attach the top plate 12 to the vibrator shaft 24. The holes indicated at 78 receive the cap screws 20 that attach the bearing 14 to the top plate 12. The top plate 12 also includes plurality of slots or channels 80 that increase the turbulence of the air or fluid flow in the annular space defined by the shaft 24, top plate 12, bottom plate 26 and body 18. As seen in Figure 13, the slots 80 do not pass through the top plate 12. In contrast, the slots 56 disposed in the bottom plate 26 (see Figure 14) pass through the bottom plate 26 and not only increase the turbulence of the air flow in the annual space but also act to release air or fluid pressure from the vibrator 10. Returning to Figure 13, the beveled upper end 64 of the shaft 24 is accommodated in the recess 81 of the top plate. Similarly, the beveled lower end 66 of the shaft 24 is accommodated in the recess 82 disposed in the bottom plate as shown in Figure 15. Referring to Figures 14 and 15, the bottom plate includes a plurality of holes 84 to accommodate the cap screws 32 which attach the bottom plate to the ring 30 (see Figure 2). The bottom plate also includes the plurality of holes indicated generally at 86 that accommodate the cap screws 28 which attach the bottom plate 26 to the vibrator shaft 24. The vibrator body is illustrated in Figures 16 and 17. The ring 30 is welded or otherwise fixedly attached to the inside surface 34 of the vibrator body 18. Accordingly, the vibrator bottom plate is inserted down through the upper end 88 of the vibrator body 18 before it is accommodated in the recess 90. The holes indicated at 92 accommodate the cap screws 16 as shown in Figure 2. The holes indicated at 94 accommodate the cap screws 32 which fixedly attach the bottom plate 26 to the ring 30. The recess 96 disposed in the ring 30 is in alignment with the air-release apertures or slots 56 disposed in the bottom plate 26. The hole 98 disposed in the ring 30 accommodates a downwardly extending probe 62 of a proximity sensor 58 (see Figure 6). The inner roller 44 and outer roller 46 are illustrated in Figures 18 through 21. As seen in Figures 18 and 20, the inner roller 44 is thinner and less bulky than the outer roller 46. Accordingly, in operation, air or pressurized fluid engages the inside surface 52 of the inner roller 44 and the inner roller 44 starts to rotate. Then, the outside surface 102 of the inner roller engages the inside surface 104 of the outer roller 46. Because the movement of the inner roller 44 is initiated by pressurized air or fluid, it is preferable to employ a relatively light inner roller 44 which, in turn, initiates the movement of the heavier outer roller 46. Turning now to Figures 39A through 39D, the rotation of the rollers 44, 46 is illustrated. Referring first to Figure 39A, the outside edge 103 of the vane 42 engages the inside surface 52 of the inner roller 44. Air engages the slots 48 in the vane 42 and is thereafter directed in the counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 39A. Turning to Figure 39B, the air pressure coming off of vane 42 causes the inner roller 44 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction as shown by the gap between the inner surface 52 of the inner roller 44 and the outside surface of the vibrator shaft shown at 100. As seen in Figures 39C and 39D, the inner roller 44 continues to rotate about the outside surface 100 of the shaft 24 and the vane 42 oscillates from the fully extended position as shown in Figure 39A to a collapsed position as shown in Figure 39C. The engagement between the outside surface 102 of the inner roller 44 and the inside surface 104 of the outer roller 46 causes the outer roller 46 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction. The engagement between the outer edge 103 of the vane 42 and the inner surface 52 of the inner roller 44 causes the inner roller 44 to rotate in an eccentric fashion. In other words, the inner roller 44 does not rotate about a single axis due to the engagement between the inner roller 44 and the oscillating vane 42. Consequently, the outer roller 46 also rotates in an eccentric fashion. The irregular or eccentric rotations of the inner roller 44 and outer roller 46 cause intense vibrations which are transmitted outward through the vibrator body 18. A similar oscillation is illustrated with respect to smaller rollers and an alternative embodiment in Figures 40A through 40D. Turning now to Figures 22 through 38, an alternative embodiment is illustrated. The vibrator shown in Figures 22 through 39 is somewhat functionally similar to the vibrator 10 shown in Figures 1 through 21 and similar parts are identified with the same reference number with the prefix "2" (i.e., the top plate "212" as opposed to the top plate 12). In the embodiment of Figures 22 through 38, the vibrator 210 is consistently larger, and the bottom plate 226 is attached directly to the vibrator body 218 as opposed to the ring 30 as shown in Figure 2. Further, the vibrator body 218 is equipped with an outer ring 219 as shown in Figure 22 which is used to mount the vibrator 210 inside a core 221. The core 221 includes a ring 223. The core 221, in the example shown in Figure 23, may be used in the fabrication of concrete pipe. The remaining functional elements of the vibrator 210 are similar or analogous to the functional elements described above with respect to the vibrator 10 shown in Figures 1 through 21. One of the primary benefits provided by the annular configuration of the vibrators 10 and 210 is that functional parts such as drive shafts, cables or conduits can be passed through the vibrator which makes the vibrators 10 and 210 more useful as one component of a multi-component system. In other words, the designer of a multi-component system has greater flexibility in the design of the system because an entire section of the system need not be reserved for the pneumatic vibrator. The vibrator can be spaced closely between two other components and the functional elements such as drive shafts, conduits, cables, etc. of adjacent components can be passed directly through the vibrator.

Claims: An annularly configured vibrator (10) including a vibrator body (18), a vibrator shaft (24), an outer roller (46), and an inner roller (44) disposed within the outer roller (46), the vibrator (10) being characterized by: an annular top plate (12); an annular bottom plate (26); the vibrator body (18) connecting an outer periphery of the top plate (12) to an outer periphery of the bottom plate (26); the vibrator shaft (24) connecting an inner periphery of the top plate (12) to an inner periphery of the bottom plate (26), the vibrator shaft (24) including fluid communication means for providing fluid communication between a pressurized fluid supply and an annular space bound by the top and bottom plates (12,26) and the body and shaft (18,24); and a vane (42) disposed between the inner roller (44) and the shaft (24); the outer roller (46) and the inner roller (44) and the vane (42) all being disposed in the annular space bound by the top and bottom plates (12,26) and the body and shaft (18,24), whereby pressurized fluid entering the annular space through the fluid communication means in the vibrator shaft (24) presses against the vane (42), said pressurized fluid thereafter being directed in substantially one circumferential direction by the vane (42) before engaging an inner surface (52) of the inner roller (44), the inner roller (44) rotating in said one circumferential direction about the vibrator shaft (24) and vane (42) and engaging an inner surface (104) of the outer roller (46), the outer roller (46) rotating in said one circumferential direction about the vibrator shaft (24). The vibrator of claim 1 characterized in that the fluid communication means include at least one row of vertically aligned perforations (40). The vibrator of claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the vibrator body (18), the vibrator shaft (24), the outer roller (46) and the inner roller (44) are all cylindrical. The vibrator of claims 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that the vane includes an outer surface (103), the outer surface (103) of the vane (42) maintaining sealing contact with the inner surface (52) of the inner roller (44) in all relative positions of the inner roller (44) to the vibrator shaft (24), the vane (42) reciprocating forward and away from the vibrator shaft (24) while maintaining sealing contact with the inside surface (52) of the inner roller (44). The vibrator of claims 2, 3 or 4 characterized in that the vane (42) is disposed in front of the perforations (40) disposed in the vibrator shaft (24) and the vane (42) is disposed in a parallel relationship with the row of perforations (40). The vibrator of claims 2, 3, 4 or 5 characterized in that the perforations (40) of the vibrator shaft (24) pass through a slot (54) disposed in an outer surface thereof, the vane (42) being accommodated in the slot (54) to maintain a tangential position of the vane (42) while the inner roller (44) rotates. The vibrator of any of the preceding claims characterized in that an upper end of the vane (42) is fixed to the top plate (12) and a lower end of the vane (42) is fixed to the bottom plate (26). The vibrator of any of the preceding claims further including: means for releasing pressurized fluid from the annular space. The vibrator of any of the preceding claims characterized in that the bottom plate includes a proximity switch (58), the proximity switch (58) being in communication with a control means, the control means terminating the flow of the pressurized fluid to the vibrator shaft (24) when the proximity switch is activated by the presence of an object adjacent to the bottom plate (26) of the vibrator (10).

Inventors: GRAU THOMAS D, GRAU, THOMAS D.
Applicants: INT PIPE MACHINERY CORP, INTERNATIONAL PIPE MACHINERY CORPORATION
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B06B1
IPC codes: E04G21, B06B1